arriere-ban,
n. [F., fr. OE.
arban,
heriban, fr. OHG.
hariban,
heriban, G.
heerbann, the calling together of an army; OHG.
heri an army +
ban a public call or order. The French have misunderstood their old word, and have changed it into
arrière-ban, though
arrière has no connection with its proper meaning. See
Ban,
Abandon.].
A proclamation, as of the French kings, calling not only their immediate feudatories, but the vassals of these feudatories, to take the field for war; also, the body of vassals called or liable to be called to arms, as in ancient France. [1913 Webster]